If it isn’t already, i think this song’s greater legacy may be in its butt dance than in the song itself; even Kara itself. A simple yet cheeky dance nearly anyone can do in any setting to any *wanted* level of exhibition; the go-to “do a trick for us” anytime a member of Kara appears on a variety show. As time goes on the butt dance will be remembered first, Kara second as a connected afterthought, but the song maybe not at all beyond “La la la la la la 1-2-3-4-5-6 Boom/Do it!”

That’s not to say this song isn’t successful. In fact it’s the complete converse. Giving the world this dance, the medium through which it was implanted, Mister served it’s duty as a pop song. After the emphemerality of it sets in and the frenzy of promotion and sales dies down and is replaced by the new, people will be shaking their bon bons for a long time to come. It has life beyond what record label people could profit from it. People’s 2009 encapsulated, memorialised, in a butt dance.

I expected it, but i wasn’t perepared for just how much K-pop i would hear over there. It was everywhere – in every store, on every television station, on every sidewalk, in nearly every restaurant, in nearly every public space – and it was, expectedly as well, strictly and homogeneously always Korean pop. The only thing to offset it was the Trot music played in taxis and markets, but that’s Korean pop music all the same. You’d think it would get exhausting and nauseating, that something would eventually snap, but every moment, every song, remained the most lifting thing.

I never heard this song, though. It’s understandable considering it was never marketed for or released in South Korea. Rather Japan, where it was extremely successful. I won’t comment on, pretend to know or even amplify the political ramifications of such success in such a place, only say that it is something the Korean pop fans are really proud of.

For fun (my fun), here are the Top Five songs i most heard on my holiday. Don’t question it’s accuracy. Don’t think i didn’t keep scientific count.FIVE.Sixth sense by Brown Eyed GirlsFOUR. Love is move by SecretTHREE.The boys by Girls’ GenerationTWO.We were in love by Davichi and T-araONE.Shanghai romance by Orange Caramel

It’s a surprising list. Only one of those songs was being promoted at the time. Maybe it being the end of the year had something to do with it – celebrating the songs of 2011. And the lack of boy groups is accurate and not indicative of personal prejudice or unattuned ears.

This song is a lot better live. It’s with much delight that i can say that. It is irresistible when you’re placed in front of it. Last night was just… oh. That it happened was enough, but it was more perfect than i had hoped. It was my first pop concert so i’m not sure how to grade it other than personal rapture. I’m sure the more experienced and discernible would have found things to complain about. Everyone on stage was on, and everyone in the audience seemed to love it.

Kara were second last to perform and were one of the best of the night. This was their first song, followed by Mister and Lupin. Yeah only three songs, but there were twelve acts to fit in the night along with other performances, and it is such an unbelievable thing they came to Australia in the first place that complaining about it seems greedy. Though writing that and suppressing want for more seems like an act of kneeling serfdom.

It would be nice for one group to return and perform a full concert, but i think the only girl group who could do that here would be Girls’ Generation. The boys though, take your pick. The majority of the crowd were there for the boy groups. The screams! The girls received their share as well, but overwhelmingly it was support for and euphoria in the presence of the boy groups. My euphoria was in the minority, and was still different in way. Maybe i’m not doing it right. I amplified it as much as i could.

What else? A lot else. Everyone seems a lot shorter in person than they do on screen. Even in heels. Concert going is trying to keep your head above a sea of mobile phone screens. Asking what is inside a 7″ kpop sleeve, expecting there to be a 7″ record, will get you only “What the hell no it’s a CD.” Pop music fans resent and deny security more than rock music fans. There were a lot of people there. Secret were the best group of the night. I think it was a success. I hope so much so that it could one day happen again. And T-ara comes.
I’m down there somewhere on the left.

This is not their best song, but various powers and factors pushed it out as the single so i guess we have to deal with it. I think it’s too much for me. If it were not for that relief of a pre-chorus, the rap verse and the part that follows it, it would just be one endless, bland, head-thumping dance song, and it’s too early for old man me for that. Why can’t songs be all pre-choruses and bridges?

This is one schizophrenic song. That cool and intense synth intro and verse, carried with all power and unfuckwithablilty by the girls, meeting sharply with that airy disco chorus. No sense of incongruity conveyed or an attempt to gradually shift mood – just the one part moving directly into the other, and back again to the first with an “OW!” Why can’t it? It works. They are both excellent parts, just to maybe two separate songs. But everything one could want in a Kara song is here and that is all that is important. Appeasing fans. Appeasing me.

I think i’m going to move into the pop song writing game. Yes. That’s what i’ll do.